NFL draft big board: Top 100 prospects

By Dane Brugler, The Sports Xchange

Monday, March 11, 2013

With less than 50 days until the 2013 NFL Draft, the final draft board is starting to take shape.

The draft process remains fluid as March and April will contain on-campus Pro Days and formal, private workouts at NFL team facilities. And although prospect evaluations are not yet 100 percent complete, there are fewer questions at the top.

2013 Draft Board (Post-Combine)

1. OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M (6-6, 306, 3JR)

A three-year starter, the game seems to come easy to Joeckel. He is smooth in his movements with a stout base, winning with both quickness and strength.

2. OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan (6-7, 306, 4SR)

Fisher proved in the Senior Bowl and at the combine that he could hang with the big boys and not just dominate MAC competition. He has room to grow, but the upside is undeniable.

3. CB Dee Milliner, Alabama (6-0, 201, 3JR)

Although he doesn’t have elite speed, Milliner makes up for his lack of quick-twitch athleticism with smooth hips, natural instincts and very good read/react skills.

4. DE Dion Jordan, Oregon (6-6, 248, 5SR)

A rare athlete for his size, Jordan needs to show he can stay healthy and add good weight, but his fluid feet and range makes him a versatile asset for any defense.

5. OG Chance Warmack, Alabama (6-2, 317, 4SR)

Warmack is a physical mauler with the natural bend and movement skills to block on the move. He won’t be drafted as high as his talent due to positional value.

6. DT Sharrif Floyd, Florida (6-3, 297, 3JR)

A player still coming into his own, Floyd has always been a powerful athlete with natural feet, but he started to play with more consistent anger and technique in 2012.

7. OT Lane Johnson, Oklahoma (6-6, 303, 5SR)

A personal favorite, Johnson moved to the offensive line in 2011 and is still growing at tackle, but he flashes all the necessary skills to develop into an NFL starting LT.

8. DT Star Lotulelei, Utah (6-3, 311, 5SR)

A coordinated, fluid big man, Lotulelei flashes the get-off quickness and power at the point of attack to dominate games; just needs to do it for all four quarters.

9. OLB Barkevious Mingo, LSU (6-4, 241, 4JR)

Mingo’s draft projection is based more on potential rather than production, but he displays the length, quickness and overall athleticism to be a special edge rusher.

10. DT Sheldon Richardson, Missouri (6-3, 294, 4JR)

Richardson is a disruptive force when firing on all cylinders. He needs to improve his pad level and stay under control, but his natural athleticism is impressive.

11. OG Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina (6-2, 311, 5SR)

Although he won’t be an ideal fit for everyone due to strengthlimitations, Cooper has outstanding body control and mobility for an interior offensive lineman.

12. DE Bjoern Werner, Florida State (6-3, 266, 3JR)

Although his motor runs hot/cold at times, Werner shows an excellent blend of speed, power and first-step quickness for a player still learning the game.

13. CB Xavier Rhodes, Florida State (6-2, 210, 4JR)

There are some questions about his long-speed, but Rhodes is a true bump-and-run corner who can match up with physical receivers and stay in their hip pocket.

14. DE Ezekiel Ansah, BYU (6-5, 271, 4SR)

A physical marvel, Ansah has only one year of starting experience and didn’t step onto the football field until 2010 but should only develop with more experience.

15. DE Datone Jones, UCLA (6-4, 283, 5SR)

Although he was often miscast on the Bruins’ three-man defensive front, Jones has the quickness and hand strength to win in various ways from multiple positions.

16. TE Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame (6-6, 250, 4JR)

Eifert won’t create a lot of separation, but he’s a better blocker than given credit and one of the best at using his body aggressively to finish contested catches.

17. WR DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson (6-1, 214, 3JR)

While not the biggest or fastest, Hopkins is able to win and be productive with his ability to change gears in his routes, create space and attack the ball in the air.

18. DE Cornellius Carradine, Florida State (6-4, 276, 4SR)

An ACL tear this past November clouds his draft projection, but when healthy, Carradine is one of the most natural pass rushers this draft class has to offer.

19. OLB Jarvis Jones, Georgia (6-2, 245, 4JR)

While he was a productive pass rusher in Athens, Jones has a few concerns moving to the next level, mainly his take-on strength and length to shed blockers.

20. WR Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee (6-2, 216, 3JR)

Based on potential and natural talent, Patterson has top-10 pick written all over him with his playmaking ability, but he’s still very unpolished in a lot of areas.

21. WR Tavon Austin, West Virginia (5-9, 174, 4SR)

Austin will probably be limited to a slot role in the NFL, but he is an exciting space player with video game-like athleticism and rare change-of-direction skills.

22. DE Damontre Moore, Texas A&M (6-5, 250, 3JR)

Moore probably could have used another season in College Station to develop his pass rush moves, but his athleticism and non-stop motor makes him intriguing.

23. WR Keenan Allen, California (6-2, 206, 3JR)

A talented all-around pass catcher, Allen has the size, speed and strong hands to be a productive target at the next level, but his knee needs to check out medically.

24. MLB Kevin Minter, LSU (6-0, 246, 4JR)

Minter is an aggressive thumper and physical presence against the run with enough range to make plays near the sideline but has some holes in pass coverage.

25. LB Arthur Brown, Kansas State (6-0, 241, 5SR)

His lack of size and growth potential might limit him in some schemes, but Brown quickly diagnoses the action and wastes little time attacking with explosiveness.

26. CB Desmond Trufant, Washington (6-0, 190, 4SR)

There is no question that Trufant has the natural fluidity and athleticism to start at the next level, but his technique needs refinement to improve his consistency.

27. QB Geno Smith, West Virginia (6-2, 218, 4SR)

Although he can’t be ruled out as the No. 1 overall pick with his passing skill set, Smith isn’t a flawless prospect and there are concerns about his pro potential.

28. DT Jesse Williams, Alabama (6-3, 323, 5SR)

Williams has the power and stout anchor to hold up at nose tackle but also has the first-step quickness and motor to play other positions on the defensive line.

29. S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas (6-0, 214, 4SR)

Although he needs to do a better job breaking down and finishing in space, Vaccaro has the physical nature and athleticism to cover in space and defend the run.

30. CB Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State (6-2, 185, 4SR)

A ballhawking defensive back, Banks has room to tighten his technique and be more consistent, but he has very good height, length and confidence for the position.

31. LB Alec Ogletree, Georgia (6-3, 242, 3JR)

A run-and-chase linebacker, Ogletree has a lean build and too often gets hung up in the trash, but his explosive speed and range will push him up most draft boards.

32. DT Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State (6-3, 320, 3JR)

Although he battled fatigue issues as an every-down defender in college, Hankins carries his weight well and offers scheme versatility to win with range and power.

33. CB Jamar Taylor, Boise State (5-11, 192, 5SR)

Taylor is a quick-footed, fluid corner with loose hips and a professional work ethic and while he needs to get stronger against the run, he has NFL starting potential.

34. MLB Manti Te’o, Notre Dame (6-1, 241, 4SR)

A determined, smart football player, Te’o has room to improve his on-field anticipation and consistency, plus the off-field concerns make his draft stock hazy.

35. S, Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International (6-0, 217, 4SR)

A Louis Delmas-like safety prospect, Cyprien plays overaggressive at times and takes a lot of chances, but he is a physical striker with the range to hold up in coverage.

36. OG Larry Warford, Kentucky (6-3, 332, 4SR)

He’ll get himself in trouble when he overextends, but Warford moves extremely well for a man his size, blocking well in motion and anchoring in pass protection.

37. WR Quinton Patton, Louisiana Tech (6-0, 204, 5SR)

Although he doesn’t look like much physically, Patton has the foot quickness to create after the catch and always seems to be playing fast but always under control.

38. TE Travis Kelce, Cincinnati (6-5, 255, 5SR)

The younger brother of Eagles center Jason, Kelce is the top senior tight end in this class with the strength and speed to be a consistent receiving and blocking threat.

39. RB Eddie Lacy, Alabama (5-11, 231, 4JR)

A strongly-built back, Lacy was productive behind a smash-mouth line, but he also created some yards on his own, staying light on his feet and running over tacklers.

40. QB Ryan Nassib, Syracuse (6-2, 227, 5SR)

The second QB on the board, Nassib’s touch and accuracy tend to waver, but he is a strong-armed passer with the feet, smarts and mentality to be an NFL starter.

41. OG Dallas Thomas, Tennessee (6-5, 306, 5SR)

With very good starting experience at both tackle and guard over his collegiate career, Thomas isn’t dominant in any one area, but he plays steady and balanced.

42. DT Sylvester Williams, North Carolina (6-3, 313, 5SR)

Although he’s still relatively new to the game of footall, Williams has an athletic skill-set with the strength and potential to develop into a quality NFL starter.

43. TE Zach Ertz, Stanford (6-5, 249, 4JR)

Although he needs to develop his strength to better sustain at the point, Ertz stays focused as a receiver and plays with vacuum hands to make impressive grabs.

44. C Travis Frederick, Wisconsin (6-4, 312, 4JR)

The top center this draft class has to offer, Frederick has the power to be a road grader in the middle with the football IQ to adjust to what the defense is doing.

45. WR Robert Woods, USC (6-0, 210, 3JR)

Although he’s not the biggest or fastest, Woods is a sharp route runner with very good quickness in his breaks to create separation and do something with the ball.

46. DE Alex Okafor, Texas (6-5, 264, 4SR)

Although he lacks the speed and edge burst to get consistent pressure on the pocket, Okafor uses his violent, powerful hands to grip, rip and tear through blockers.

47. OT DJ Fluker, Alabama (6-5, 339, 4JR)

While there are concerns that he lacks the fluidity to stay on the edges in the NFL, Fluker has the base, length and power to dominate defenders when in position.

48. QB Matt Barkley, USC (6-3, 227, 4SR)

Although his size, athleticism and arm strength are average at best, Barkley has NFL-level skills between his ears that will carry him further than his physical skill set.

49. DE Sam Montgomery, LSU (6-3, 262, 4JR)

Although he likely won’t be the top LSU defender drafted in April, Montgomery is a versatile pass rusher in his own right, leading the Tigers in sacks in 2012 (8.0).

50. TE Jordan Reed, Florida (6-3, 236, 4JR)

Reed needs to get stronger and stay healthy, but he has Aaron Hernandez-like potential as a “joker” target with his balance, fluidity and athleticism after the catch.